Chapter 5

"Laurie, are you sure you want to go, it's really cold out." Rick said, then turning, saw her face droop.

"Sweetheart, don't do that, you make me feel like the Grinch. I don't want you to get sick." he groaned.

"I'm sorry, darling. You spoil me, you know. It's just it's been so long we've ridden together." she replied. Holding her arms open, she smiled, "Maybe we can go for a ride tomorrow."

"Yes, my princess" he teased, then entered her embrace, letting her wind her arms around him. Relaxing against his wife on the sofa, watching the fire, it was a quiet moment before their house would be filled with family and friends. With Robin and Robbie and Ramona and Ian all playing in the snow with Ricky; A.J. and Linda decided to take Ceci with them to pick up Cecilia. Oscar and Rudy weren't due in until late from Ojai, they were bringing Steve and Jaime and their daughter Crystal.

"Rick, I got a card from, from Barnabas today. Uncle Roger's not doing too well, do you think we might go see him after the first of the year?" she asked hopefully. Rick nodded. "Sure, Laurie, we'll go after New Year's." Rick was grateful that one of the Collins family had contacted her, even if it was the one who'd tried to place his curse on her all those years ago. Realizing how quiet she was , he raised her hand to his lips. "What is it, darlin?"

"Rick, Oscar is all right, isn't he? I don't like that he was so sore still this week." she worried, then Rick turned in her arms to see her expression. "Darlin', he's okay, Rudy did lots of tests on him. It's just a bad stomach bruise, that's all. You know Rudy and Steve won't let him take any chances." He kissed her face, then her neck, causing her to giggle. "I love you, Rick, you always make me feel better!" she said, dropping a kiss on his ear. "Sweetheart, I love you too, I promise; you and I will go riding tomorrow, just us." he vowed.

Interrupted by a beeping at the gate, Rick grouched, "Next time we hide out in our room, the kids can let them in!" Going to the window, he chuckled as he saw a familiar sedan. "Laurie, maybe I'll open the gate after all!"

"Who is it, oh, Rick they're early, it's Christmas already!" she bounced off the sofa, then rushed toward the door only to be pulled back by her husband. "Honestly, Laurie, you're worse then the kids!" he teased, putting her coat on for her. As they opened the door, Rick saw Oscar step out of the car, then Laurie ran down the steps toward him and he opened his arms.

Rick smiled as he came down the steps, it was evident how much stronger their bond was. After the Martin case had wrapped up, Oscar told him how a comment from Paul Jacobsen had affected him. Waiting for Laurie at Rudy's office the week before Christmas, Rick was telling Oscar that she was worrying about him. "Rick, I feel better, what bothers me more is, well, how I can't get something out of my mind from last week. You know before you and A.J. burst in, I fired a shot to stop Jacobsen from dragging Laurie out of the room. Only, I didn't know he had a gun, and when he pulled her in front of him.." He stared into the cup of coffee he was nursing.

"It hit me hard how his taunting hurt, he wanted to get back at you two for blowing open his scheme. It came to me afterwards that he thought Laurie was my child. But when he said "your daughter or me", I felt so helpless. If I missed, well, thank God you guys came in at that moment." Rick reassured him that he did the right thing, holding Jacobsen the extra minute gave the brothers' time to break in.

"Thanks, son, as long as my girl is all right." he answered, then a smile broke over his face as Laurie came out, sans the special glasses she'd been wearing. "Almost 20-20 again, guys, now I can drive!" she rejoiced. "I said you can drive, missy, but only during the day right now!" Rudy said, following her. Rick couldn't help but smile at the memory, she had laughed then hugged Rudy. "All right, I promise, I feel like asking for the keys, though, and going for a soda!"

"Pop, they're early!" Robbie came up behind him, startling him. Turning, he laughed to see the snow still in his cap. "Son, I thought you were making a snowman, not being one!" "Blame Robin, she and Ramona instigated a snowball fight, they're toweling off Ricky right now, he loved it!" Robbie grinned. Glancing at his mother now greeting their friends, he dropped his voice. "Pop, I've got Mom's present behind the barn, she's going to go nuts when she sees it!" "Robbie, every time I wanted her to get a new jeep, she said no, somebody needed something more. This way I know she won't break down, I almost choked as it is when she made that comment about asking for the keys!" his father replied, brushing the snow from his son's cap.

"All right, who had a snowball fight and left us out?" Steve came up to them and hugged the two Simon men. "Robbie will give you a blow by blow, all I can say is Robin has a future as a major league pitcher!" Rick teased.

As everyone was going into the house, Laurie suddenly turned white, then blurted, "Ricky's going to go through the ice!" Before she could move, Steve told her, "grab some blankets and come out the back!"

Taking off at lightening speed, Steve and Jaime ran toward the creek, as Rick followed. Rudy rushed the others inside, as Laurie pulled some blankets out of the cupboard and ran out the kitchen door. As she reached the patio area, relief flooded thru her as Steve came into view with Ricky riding piggy- back on his shoulders, talking a mile a minute to Jaime.

Laurie slumped down on a bench and as Rick followed his nephew, he saw his wife wiping her eyes. "Sweetheart, he's all right, Steve got there in time. Robin and Ian were playing with him and he just got too close to the shoreline, that's all." he told her as they reached the backyard.

Swallowing her tears, Laurie stood up and smiled at her nephew. "Did you have fun with Robin and Ian?" "Yes, and Uncle Steve and Aunt Jaime ran real fast to play with me, but the ground's broken, so we're going to have cocoa!" Ricky said, not realizing his Uncle Rick was trying not to laugh.

"Thanks, you two, I'm really glad I didn't try to keep up with you!" she said, embracing them. As she herded them into the house to warm up, she saw the woebegone faces of her daughter and Ian. Laurie went to meet them. "Darling, you two didn't do anything wrong, he just moves too fast for you." she reassured them.

"Thanks, Mom, that's what Uncle Steve told us, Ian had just caught up with the little guy when Steve yelled for him to pick him up and move backward slowly. Just as he did, the shoreline collapsed into the creek." Robin explained, feeling better.

"Ian, you did a good job, bless you!" she sniffed, then hugged the young trainer. "Thanks, Mrs. Simon, Ricky's a good boy, he just loves to run!" Ian grinned, then took Robin's arm and went into the house.

Taking a deep breath, Laurie turned to see Rick gazing at her, then he put his arms around her as she held tightly to him. "Darlin', you saved the little guy and Ian, I'm just sorry you were scared." he soothed her.

"I'm okay, it was so vivid, oh I don't want to see that ever again." she whispered, closing her eyes, then felt comforted as Rick caressed her face. "You won't, my angel, you'll only see happy things, remember, it's Christmas Eve, Santa's coming!" "I will, thank you, darling." she promised, then kissed his hand, whispering , my prince." "Prince, I like that!" Rick teased, then lowered his voice, "my princess."

A loud, "ahem" sounded through their next kiss. "Darling, maybe next time we do a private Christmas?" he groaned. "Rick, it's freezing, you two come in right now!" a familiar voice sounded. "It's okay, Rick, it's Mom!" she smiled, then kissed his cheek. "Yes, Mom!" he snickered, then took Laurie's hand and led her into the house.

After the hectic day, it was a relief to sit down to Christmas dinner, Rick decided. He had made Laurie stay out of the kitchen, but she was content to hold Ceci and Ricky and let everyone pamper her. A.J. heard the events of the day from Ricky, then embraced his brother. "Rick, thank God you guys got there in time!" "Yeah, thanks to Laurie! A.J., these premonitions are frightening to her, but she knows it's important to tell us about them. We got there before they were actually on the ice, but the snow covered where it started and it could have been bad." he explained.

Letting out a deep breath, A.J. smiled at his brother, then going to his sister-in-law as she was playing with her nephew, gave her a hug. "Merry Christmas, A.J., oh, it's all right!" she told him, kissing his cheek. "Ricky knows not to go running around the creek now, Steve talked to him!"

Laughing over the sight of the big man talking to Ricky, the worries of the morning were forgotten over roast beef ("beast" to Ricky, a Grinch fan) and Robin's finest casseroles. When it was time for bed, sleigh bells were heard and even the teenage Crystal got excited over "Santa" .

As Rick announced that someone was at the door, Ricky started jumping up and down and Ceci started to laugh at his antics. "Ho, Ho, Ho, is this the Simon ranch?" "Santa" said as Rick opened the door. "Yes, it's Uncle Rick's!" the little boy called, then ran toward the man in red.

Rick had to catch his breath, watching his namesake taking Santa's hand and pulling him inside with such enthusiasm, it was so like his brother at that age. As the suspiciously familiar Santa took turns first with Ricky then Ceci, who surprisingly did not cry but made Cecilia and Linda exchange Kleenex, Rick popped Laurie's present into the bag of gifts.

Making Crystal go next, Steve and Jaime teared up too as she asked for a horse of her own. "Rick, I didn't know, she never said." her father sputtered in response to his look. Laurie glanced at Jaime, then caught Santa's eye. "Well, Crystal, you've been a good girl, so I'll see what I can do. He might not fit under the tree, though, but," he smiled, "I'll do my best!"

Handing a gift from his bag, the quiet teen beamed at the riding jacket Laurie and Rick gave her. "Thank you, Auntie, I love it! and you too Uncle Rick!" she told them between hugs.

As the bag was emptied, Santa saved Laurie's gift for last. Giggling, Laurie sat on his lap as he teased first Rick then Robin and Robbie for making their mother wait. "Well, Laurie, what do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?" "Oh, much as I'd like a trip to Las Vegas, I really need a new engine for my jeep. Somehow, I think it might be a little hard to fit under the tree!" she laughed. "Well, that's much too heavy to carry in my sleigh, but I'll see what I can do!" he joked, then handed her a small ribboned box.

Excited, Laurie opened the box, then gasped, seeing a set of keys in the tissue paper. "Come on, Laurie, I couldn't fit the rest of your gift in my bag, so let's go see it outside!" Santa told her. "Oh, my." she whispered, then gave her hand to Rick as he pulled her up and over to the front door. As A.J. hoisted a sleeping Ricky in his arms, Santa opened the door then helped Laurie down the steps.

A new Jeep stood in the driveway, dark green with silver trim and a big silver bow. Totally surprised, Laurie ran her fingers over the hood, then turned and ran into Santa's arms. "Thank you, oh thank you, Santa!" she cried, as he hugged her. "Merry Christmas, baby!" he told her, then passed her off to Rick and her children, who exchanged kisses and tears. "You really surprised me, I love you!" she told Rick, who grinned at her. "Sweetheart, you've put me off getting you a new car since we were married. Now I know you'll have a reliable ride!" "Come on, Mom, get in, see what it's like!" Robbie urged, pleased at her reaction. Opening the car, Laurie ran her fingers over the soft upholstery, then sat back in the seat. Climbing back out, she carefully covered it up with the blanket Rick handed her. "Thank you, guys, again. Merry Christmas!" she beamed.

As everyone trooped back into the house for coffee, she hugged Rick again, then giggled as he hoisted her into his arms and carried her up the steps. "Darling, thank you for spoiling me, no princess ever was so loved!" she sighed, as he kissed her then set her down. "No princess has ever been so loveable, darlin'!" Rick murmured in her ear, then he felt her kisses on his neck.

"Sweetheart, how about we wait for Santa in our room, hmmm?" "Rick, you have the most romantic ideas, but we need to meet Steve and Jaime in the barn as soon as Crystal goes to bed. Poor things, they never knew she wanted a horse." Laurie told him, feeling for her friends.

"My Christmas Elf, of course we'll wait." he replied, loving her all over again for wanting make her friends happy. "Why don't I call the Chief and see if we can't get Crystal a saddle in time for the morning, maybe he can grab one on the way here for breakfast?" he added. "That's a wonderful idea, my love, thank you for being Santa's helper." she smiled up at him.